Faces Of The Moon
bibarra@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca (Cathy Ann Bear)
Oh, bother. Someone ought to mow this grass once and for all.
Obscenely overgrown, muttered Luna between hacks and leaps. No decent
way of making your way through! And definitely not worth the trouble to go
after a silly girl with an attitude problem.
The cabin itself was comfortable, with its foundations of oak and the
scent of a freshly felled tree. To the bare foot it gave the sensation of
having emerged from nature itself, under a thin veil of tapestries and ragged
furniture. Reeny was no doubt fitfully occupied in chasing Artemis from
stairway to stairway, the floorboards probably squeaking in resonance to her
frantic yelping. Outside, the tended acres were cool and lush from the
drizzles of early summer. The housekeeper, Evander, was perpetually trying to
perfect the little clearing in any way he could--from planting petunias and
forget-me-nots until the midnight hour, right down to fussing over the
center of gravity on a makeshift tire-swing left over from the previous
tenants. But past the splintery fence, behind the face of the cabin which had
no practical purpose, only wilderness held claim to the land. Beyond the
shabby little boundary, Luna felt like she was in the company of strangers,
metaphysical spectres who knew no cabin or garden.
"Serena, you will be absolutely plagued with insect bites tomorrow
morning. Why don't you do yourself a favour?"
"I wanna go to the ice cream shop."
"You won't be able to enjoy your double fudge frostie when you're
_scratching like a maniac_. Come on, you senseless girl."
"Oh! Can't we go back to that store we passed on the way? Maybe get
some Cheez Pops or Nacho Twists?"
"The last store we passed was six miles up the road! Serena, be
reasonable. Come on back and unpack your case...and for crying out loud,
shape up! You have your junkfood and your daytime romance shows seven days a
week. Can't you bear to be without for once?"
"Luna, you know I'm no good at this out-in-the-country stuff. I need
to be in the city! I mean, without the flashy sprawling mass of skyscrapers
and shopping malls there's nothing but grass and trees and bushes and that
frightens me! I mean, how are people supposed to live in a place when there
isn't even anything artificial anymore?"
"Would you like a taxi ride back to the cabin?"
"You should talk. If it weren't for cities, you would have no place
to live! You're a domestic animal, you're no lion. There, I got you!"
"Well, I'm sure getting a crash-course in wilderness survival chasing
you around. But if you want to be stubborn and stay out here and sulk because
you're missing Hunk Connection you can take your time, because I was thinking
about eating your supper anyway."
Luna hacked her way back through her trail.
"Ooh! You eat my supper and I'll make gloves out of you, for the
moon's sake!"
"For the moon's sake, exactly," said a voice from where the grass was
moving.
****
"Serena back yet?" Lita asked, bobbing her head in front of the
window.
"Depends on what you mean," piped in Artemis, out of breath from
being chased around by a zealous little pinkster. "Cabin-wise? Maybe. Back in
her own head? I'd talk to a private eye if I were you."
The eight had made good time, having left early and travelled a tough
length to be able to settle in by the evening. It was convenient enough that
Evander, a business partner of Raye's folks, happened to have a window
between when the last occupants had moved out and the time when the new ones
would fill the bill; disliking being lonesome, he had asked if Raye and her
friends wanted to come visit, and Luna took it upon herself to convince the
Scouts to come along. What they really needed, thought Luna to herself, was
to build character. How could they keep back the forces of the Negaverse if
they let themselves become too distracted with things like nail polish and
four hour phone conversations? No, here they would learn discipline.
"Leeee-ta! Come see what we found in Serena's suitcase!"
Raye and Amy had galloped to the bottom of the stairs, edgy and
giggling. They hadn't let the distraction go to waste, obviously. Artemis had
begun to play with the braided string of a tapestry of a lion in the hallway
nextdoor.
"You went through her stuff? I can't believe you two," scolded the
brown-haired girl. "Don't you have any shame?"
"...No, but... we _do_ have her love-letters from Darien."
"Aw Jesus. You went and took her--wha--what--are you serious?!" a
grin began to grow at the side of her mouth, as much as she didn't want it
to.
"C'mon, Leet. She never tells us anything. Don't you wanna find out
what's happening between them?" coaxed the raven, in a cajoling manner that
implied that girls will be girls and there is nothing as valuable as the
ecstasy of a carefree moment which passes far too rapidly into oblivion.
Still, Lita struggled not to be clouded over by the thunder-spark of a
conscience-tarnishing impulse as she would be angry at herself later for
breaching the trust one is given by a best friend, merely to indulge in a
quick but no less disrespectful act of gluttony. Her mouth curved back and
forth in indecision.
Artemis tugged a little too hard at the string, and the humble
decoration came draping down upon his feline head. Half-frightened by the
onslaught of thread and artwork, and half-embarassed because the outcome was
predictable, Artemis thought it best to simply remain blanketed for a few
seconds and give the impression that it was actually a very important thing
to do. That way, when Lita dug him out of the avalanche, he could pretend
that she was interrupting an official function of Central Control, and come
out looking like a smart cat. Artemis waited and waited.
****
She doesn't understand, not one bit.
She's not the one who has to live with it, thought the Moon Princess.
Okay, she may be a talking cat with a moon on her head but all she has to do
is shut up and carry a receipt from a tattoo parlour and she's just like any
other beast! Does she really think I'm that shallow? That everything I care
about is material, and that I have to be guided around like some kind of
plough horse? I'm more than that. My name's Serena Tsukino and I'm fourteen
years old and I can be my own person. I can! Why should I have to take orders
from a dumb cat? Sailor Moon this, Sailor Moon that. When's my lunchbreak?
Serena trudged through the thick brush, the spiky branches scratching
up her shins. She knew no one had been impressed with her sudden little fit
back there, and were probably wondering why she was such a baby all the time.
Well, let them wonder, she huffed. Can they really say they never lose their
cool once in a while? Frustrated, Serena vainly flailed around with her
reasoning, trying to justify her having been so defensive. The breeze began
to chill her, and the cabin seemed ages away through the stickly foliage.
Serena stepped over the fence back onto the smooth lawn near the
housecorner, and immediately felt better. She could have sworn she had been
drowning in self-pity, but now she felt like it was only the weeds that had
been bringing her down. A gust of wind blew back her long golden tresses. She
felt like running.
Without hesitation, the free, young, and healthy girl bolted across
the yard. She reached the far fence in a matter of seconds, halted, bent
down, and panted. I wonder why I just did that, she thought to herself. I
don't know why, replied an echo in the back of her mind, but do it again.
Compliant, Serena launched herself again and raced alongside the fence,
puffing all the way to the far side of the yard. She was purifying herself,
and for a second she felt just like she was flying. Of course, it could have
been because of the root she suddenly caught her shoe in.
"Hey girlfriend," laughed a voice from somewhere beyond the dirt
facepie. "You excited to be here?"
Serena looked up at Mina on the tree-swing and hoped she wouldn't
have to explain.
"Gosh, Serena, your face is full of crumbs again."
"WAAAAHHH!!"
Mina helped her friend up and wiped the dirt off her face. Serena
tried her best to regain her dignity and composure but had a hard time faking
it. The girls climbed onto the tire swing together, facing each other, far
away from anybody's business.
"What do you think of this place?"
"I think I need a suit of armor."
"I love it. It's so peaceful here. We could do everything! We could
have a campfire... tell some ghost stories..."
"Now if only Luna would stop nagging me, maybe I could actually start
enjoying myself."
The two Scouts rocked back and forth slowly under the shade of
branches and leaves.
"So what was up with you back there, girl? You really flipped
something fierce."
"I just can't stand it when Raye says things like that. Why is she
out to get me all the time, Mina?"
"Aw, c'mon, I don't think she was really serious when she was talking
about adjusting your pigtails like antennas so she could watch TV on your
head. We all just thought it was funny, that's why we were laughing at you."
"But she's been like that all week. Ooh! I wish I knew how to pick on
_her_."
"Maybe she's jealous, Serena. You're the one seeing Darien now...it
could be she might be upset over losing her boyfriend to a prettier girl!"
Serena scoffed. "Whatever, Mina."
"Well, _I_ sure think you're prettier, Serena."
Mina passed a gentle finger across her companion's forehead, brushing
away the bang in her eye. For a second, Serena thought the wind must be
blowing again, and moments later realized the leaves on the trees were
perfectly still.
****
>Glug-glug-glug-GMMP<
"Another one!"
>Glug-glug-glug-GMMP<
"Another one!"
"Reeny, that's going to be your fourth one," exclaimed an exasperated
Amy. "You're going to turn into a raspberry if you don't stop. Are you really
that thirsty?"
"No, but I bet you are!"
The sky had deepened to a cold blue, and a rim of daylight still
hugged the horizon. The girls had finished unpacking upstairs, and their
rooms seemed just as full of clutter as the rooms they had left behind in
Crystal Tokyo. The rustic fireplace flickered warm colours in the living
room, where Lita, Serena, Artemis, Luna, Raye, Amy, and Mina were curled up
in the firey glow. Shadows flitted across their faces, as if they were
phantoms of flickering fluorescent light. Once in a while the dance of the
flames would reflect in the window of the station wagon outside, as it
sat dormant in the driveway.
"I sure gave Zoisite a whippin' to remember, didn't I?" boasted Lita.
"Now she'll think twice before messing with the Titan."
"No way, Lita, I got her, not you," argued Mina. "Square in the
chest. She was shaking her fist at me and everything."
"If I remember correctly, I believe it was my Mercury Bubble Blast
that hit her the hardest," interjected Amy.
"No no no! She was specifically trying to bust _my_ bubble,
knucklehead, and she got what she was askin' for. In spades," insisted Lita.
"Ex-cuuuse me, dimwits, but aren't you all wrong? Wasn't it me who
did most of the work putting that Nega-bitch in her place?"
All eyes turned to Serena.
"...hm...well, um, didn't I make it a whole lot easier for you guys
to beat her?"
"You made it a whole lot easier for Tuxedo Mask to see up your skirt,
meatball head!"
Serena flushed as red as the fire in the wave of chuckling.
"Hey, do you think that when Tuxedo Mask retires, he'll just open up
a mens' clothing store?"
"Are you serious? Can you really imagine Tuxedo Mask in golfing pants
and a fishing hat and still trying to be all serious? _'I'm warning you, Mr.
Jones. I want those hushpuppies! This time I'm not leaving without them!_'
"Okay then, a flower shop."
"But he would end up killing everyone!"
"Fine, then, what do you think, Luna? Where's Tuxedo Mask going to be
in 20 years?"
"Oh, I imagine he'll be snagged up by some famous model who will make
more than enough money for two, and he'll never have to leave the house.
He'll probably change his name to Tuxedo Butler!"
Into the night, the group chitted and chatted, downing their fair
share of drinks in the process. Luna shot a snarly look at Evander when he
brought out the stuff, but was helpless to voice any complaint except 'meow'.
Raye later eased the cat's anxiety with a little rum in the saucer of milk,
away from the housekeeper's eyes.
When the sky had grown so dark that only firelight was visible in the
window pane, Mina started having the idea of heading down to the lakeshore
down the road for a midnight dip. No longer kept in silence by the presence
of the generous old codger, Luna was the first to protest.
"Are you absolutely out of your mind? You can't see a blasted thing
at this time of night. It's dangerous! And don't forget--you've had a few,
Mina. The only thing you're fit to be doing is sleeping!"
"Aw, you're nothing but a squinky drag, Luna," mumbled an inebriated
Sailor Venus. "You're just sore 'cause you can't swim."
Artemis chimed in with the war support. "That squinky drag is right,
you know. There's no way we can let you do something that reckless."
Luna wasn't sure whether to feel complimented or not.
"Why don't you wait until tomorrow morning, Mina? The water's
probably freezing right now," said Lita. "Wait until the sun comes up, why
dont'cha."
"Come on! I'll be alright! I've got all my senses, really!"
"Oh yeah?" challenged Raye. "Quick, what's twelve times seven,
genius?"
"........"
It took a little bit of debate, but the girls eventually got Mina to
concede. The scouts rubbed their eyes and headed upstairs to hit the sack,
while Luna and Artemis crawled into their baskets to travel to the land of
slumber. Not too far away, in the patch of overgrown grass and weeds, a
chorus of crickets' legs seeped into the black air, like the creeping drone
of a Ligetian cacophony.
****
A couple of seconds went by before the shot of pain in Serena's head
receded and the headboard stopped wiggling. Her eyes unadjusted to the night,
only the invisible, scentless but familiar darkness envelopped the room.
Serena could feel the nightgown that covered her form, and over top of them,
the thick down blanket; but she seemed to be floating in outer space--a
cold and deathlike void, with not a star in sight. She had been dreaming
before she woke up. She had dreamt that she had returned to the cabin from
the wilderness as she had the afternoon beforehand, only to find that her
companions had packed up and left as quickly as they had arrived. Serena was
stranded, miles away from any human being, with sinister black clouds
swirling over her head. She ran into the cabin searching for Evander, but
sensed that the whole place was stone dead. Scrambling into the upstairs
hallway, she abruptly halted in front of a potted fern. Serena suddenly
remembered that Evander was not a real person at all, that someone had named
the plant Evander for some affectionate reason. With that resolved, she
felt much better, although somewhat boneheaded for having freaked out. She
descended into the living room and sat down on the couch named Sammy, where
she would munch on a bag of woodchips while waiting for the others to return
from the gentleman's clothing store. Suddenly it occurred to her that the tea
kettle had died, and death-mold was already turning the walls green. No
longer safe, Serena jumped out the front door to discover that the yard was
not a yard at all but a cleverly placed postcard, on which she bumped her
forehead rather hard.
Shaking away the bizarre imagery of the whole adventure, Serena sat
up in bed and took a few deep breaths to make sure she was still as alive as
anyone else. Then she realized that Mina was not in the bed across the room
from her.
Too tense to want to bother waking up everyone else (for that
certainly would have caused a scandal), Serena shook on her slippers and trod
with light feet down into the living room. The embers were barely glowing in
the hearth, after having burned all night. The front door was an inch open,
scaring the teen for a second into thinking Mina may have been carried
off by a bear. Serena then spied a spilled bowl of trail mix on the dining
table, and fear turned to scorn as Serena landed upon her conclusion. Mina
had probably snuck off for her swim in the middle of the night, and thought
nobody would notice. Well, she's saved my ass from the Negaverse before,
bargained Serena, so one favour deserves another. Still, I'd better tiptoe
down the road to check if she's alright.
Without making a sound, Serena slipped her lithe body through the
smallest possible opening in the door, so as to not make it creak. The subtle
wind of the small hours blew right through her nightgown as if she were bare
to the cool air. She hopped down the steps of the exterior deck and hobbled
down the path towards the main road. In school, sports was really Mina's
thing, Serena thought to herself. Of all people, wouldn't she be really
careful of what she did? Sure, she can't swim like Amy can, but she's not a
tomato brain either. One thing's for sure, we're never letting Mina get drunk
again!
Gravel crunched under Serena's slippers as she dragged her feet
downhill. Far down the road, the landscape stretched out to a magnificent
silhouette of nature in stasis. What an isolated place! If Raye's father
weren't some fat cat politician, she thought, we'd probably be shacked up
in the nearest Motel 6 by now. Out-of-the-way? Heck, I didn't even know this
part of Japan existed! Hm...Chances are, neither do Mr. Hino's constituents.
Still, it is beautiful...I could get used to this outback stuff. If I only
didn't have to put up with a certain few unnamed people...!
A narrow sideroad branched out and led beyond the row of trees that
followed the main road. Serena knew she had already gone quite far from the
cabin, but could not stand not knowing if her friend was alright or not. Of
course she would be, because it would be a cruel and senseless trick of fate
if she wasn't. So why was Serena so worried? She herself wasn't quite too
sure; she only knew that something was missing. Serena rounded the corner and
damned the night for not letting her see clearly out into the lake.
A little ways offshore, sure enough, the midnight deviant was
paddling in circles on her back, staring up at the crescent moon as if she
were in love with it.
In a half-shout, half-whisper, Serena called out the girl's name.
"Mina!"
Mina must not have seen her at first, for she continued drifting
peacefully on the surface of the sparkling water. The quiet slush of her arms
cutting the water added a second motif of sonority above the whine of the
crickets.
"Mina!"
This time, the swimmer turned her head.
"Sailor Moon!" recoiled Mina, not too concerned about being quiet.
"Sailor Moon, you've come to rescue me!"
"Mina, get out of there. You're gonna catch something way harsh!"
"The emperium crystal's down there. I saw it!"
"Look, I'm trying to get you out of big trouble, alright?"
"I'm not letting Queen Beryl get her hands on it. Not in this
lifetime!"
And with that, Mina's figure slipped beneath the frigid, aqueous
plane.
Without a further thought, Serena threw off her nightgown and
slippers, and dove into the freezing blackness. She didn't notice the
temperature shock; she was much too concerned about losing her friend than
body heat. Tension took hold of Serena's heart tightly as she kicked
and fought her way across the lake, and burbled the words that guided her so
well through distorted bubbles underwater:
"I--stand--for--love--"
Through the deep, Serena could make out the silhouette of a young
girl sinking quickly to her doom. Hurry!
"And--I--stand--for--justice--"
Serena thrust her head up to take a lung-bursting breath. Mina had
disappeared completely, and was heading towards the bottom of the lake. Don't
you dare drown on me, you stupid girl!
Serena felt the sting of salt in her eyes as she plunged downwards.
She couldn't see a thing. Mina had to be down here somewhere! Oh God, please
don't let me lose her!
"In--the--name--of--the--moon--"
Everywhere was darkness, everywhere was death. The nightmare had not
ended yet. There were no stars here, only endless loneliness. WHERE IS SHE?!
A limp, wilting arm was suddenly gripped by a stronger, forceful one.
From out of the depths of sorrow, a spark of light rose like a shot from a
flaregun. An entity floated up into heaven, carrying with it salvation.
Serena struggled to keep her hacking and coughing friend's head above
water, burning up her strength quickly. I won't let you go, Mina! God, the
shore's so far away...
A year seemed to pass before Serena reached the level where she could
touch the inundated ground with her feet. Like a phoenix bird, she
exhaustedly made her way back to shore, Mina in her arms, the jagged pebbles
and mossy seaweed scraping her toes and heels.
Upon reaching the mudbank, Serena lay down her quivering friend, and
a rush of horror swept over her as she thought about what might have happened
had she not succeeded. Mina was breathing, but pale, and utterly weakened.
"Crystal..."she whispered.
"Don't talk, Mina. I'm taking you home," said the lifesaver.
Serena lay down the soaked Scout in her abandoned bed, listening and
hoping no one had heard her come in. She carefully moved the straps down off
Mina's shoulders, and tugged her arms through. Feeling a little weird, she
then pulled the wet bathing suit down to Mina's waist, and struggled a little
to yank the suit out from underneath her bottom. After Serena had managed
to slide the suit down and off the girl's legs, she threw it in the corner
and towelled off Mina's body, lest she catch cold, if she already hadn't.
"I'm sorry," breathed Mina softly.
"Just glad you're alive, girlfriend," came a sugary voice from above.
Mina pushed a smile.
Right then, Serena started thinking about what she had done in a new
light. This body of yours, Mina, is here because of me. Your lips, your
shoulders, your navel, the palms of your feet--so gentle here in the
moonlight--you're alive, Mina, you're still in one piece...you're a real-life
human being...it's beautiful. I feel like I created you.
Serena reached for Mina's hand and clasped it tenderly, entwining her
fingers with hers. A confusing wave of emotion came over Serena; she knew not
if what she was feeling was relief, or fear, or gratitude, or if she was just
spacing out the way she did in class. I think I love you, Mina. God, this is
so weird! Why did I just think that?
I don't know, came the reply, but think it again.
Serena covered her friend with a down blanket and put her hand on the
girl's cheek. Mina was as cold as an icecube! Serena hoped she would be
alright in the morning, after a good night's sleep. Silently, Serena spun
back and began creeping towards her own bunk.
"Don't leave me, Serena..."
As much as she wanted to stay, Serena knew that if Mina woke up
tomorrow with another girl in her bed, she would probably do something the
equivalent of sounding a fire alarm in a coal mine. Heartbroken, Serena
crawled under her sheets, secretly wishing that Mina had never been under the
influence.
****
"Rise and shine, dorkbrain!!"
Serena woke with an awful start. Oh no, I'm going to be late again!
"Seven o'clock already? There must be some mistake! I didn't have
time to finish my homework, I mean I was too busy collecting money for the
poor...Don't let the bus leave without me! Anyone seen my hairbrush?!"
"Quick, Serena, it's leaving without you! Hurry," pressed Raye.
Serena ran on fire out her bedroom door. Amy was the first to muffle
a chuckle from behind Mina's bed. All the girls grinned evilly at each other,
waiting for the bomb to go off.
A flustered scream reverberated downstairs.
Artemis poked his head through the door, sporting disbelief on his
face. "What the hell did you say to her?"
"Relax, cat-man. Sit back and enjoy," chuckled Lita.
Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. Wham!
"That's IT that is so totally IT you are NOT allowed to do that to me
anymore I am SICK of being made a fool of now GET OUT of my room and I'll
come DOWN when I FEEL LIKE IT!!" yapped the blonde.
"Please calm down, Serena, we just thought we would play a little
trick on you. We didn't mean to hurt your feelings," pleaded Amy.
Inevitably, Luna stepped in. "What's all this racket about?!"
"For chrissake, Serena, stop being so childish," said Raye. "You're
gonna wreck our trip if you keep it up!"
Mina forwarded the motion. "Yeah, Serena."
All Serena could do was look into the eyes of the girl whose life she
saved last night and feel infinitely hurt. Was it not worth anything, now
that Serena was 'being a baby' again? Would Mina really never remember the
love they shared for an instant, a fleeting, mutual attraction for one
another, now obviously nothing more than a drunken hallucination? I was
closer to her than I'd ever been to any other girl--I even kissed her, for
the moon's sake--and now all she's got to say to me is 'Yeah, Serena'?!
She couldn't help but burst into sobs.
"Everyone clear out," commanded Luna. "Ms. Tsukino and I are going to
have a little CHAT."
The five others obeyed. It was time for the shakedown.
Downstairs in the kitchen, Artemis and the girls chewed their food
nervously. The general mood in the air had wound up like a box spring from
the fierce lecturing upstairs.
"I feel bad now," murmured Amy. "I didn't want there to be a big
fight. Now everyone is upset."
"Well, there shouldn't have been a big fight. Serena's just a
crybaby! She can't ever stand being in a position where she's not in control.
Girl's got to learn," rambled Raye.
"Funny that, coming from you, Raye," said Lita. "Weren't _you_ the
one who voted yourself leader a while back, when we weren't too sure about
blondie?"
"And I gave that up, Lita. I can deal with it--she can't--that's my
point exactly. Sometimes I wonder if the way we're going with her is the best
way after all."
"Sounds like you're jealous."
"Jealous? Give me a break, Leet. Why would anyone be jealous of
Serena?"
Feeling even worse, Amy decided she had better just keep her mouth
shut.
(if anyone likes the way this story is turning out, drop me a line.
It sure took me long enough to reformat it to post!!)
Cathy.